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| Airbus new A350 |
Weather permitting, the next-generation plane will lift off from the southwestern city of Toulouse at 0800GMT with six people on board –a British and a French test pilot, a flight engineer and three other engineers at the back.
The test flight of the long-haul plane -more than half of which is made of composite materials- comes just days ahead of the Bourget air show where Boeing and Airbus traditionally vie for the spotlight over plane orders.
"All recent programs before it, both by Airbus, Boeing and others, have had reasonably horrendous technical problems and delays," said Nick Cunningham, an aviation analyst at the London-based Agency Partners.
he A350 will complete Airbus's long-haul stable, which includes the A380 super jumbo, and will gradually replace the older A330, a plane that has generated almost half of the firm's revenues in recent years, Cunningham said.
The extensive use of carbon-based composites means the new plane will be lighter and deliver fuel economy- much like its rival, Boeing's 787 Dreamliner.
Despite dethroning Boeing in the medium-haul segment, Airbus still needs to catch up with its rival in the long-range market, where the US firm dominates with its 777 and Dreamliner, despite the latter's recent technical problems.
Read more: Fuel-efficient Airbus A350 to make maiden flight - FRANCE - AVIATION - FRANCE 24
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